Oxygen is the fundamental chemical element that makes up about 20% of the earth’s atmosphere. It is also a key component of water and living organisms. In this article, we will take a closer look at the electron configuration of oxygen.
Oxygen is a chemical element with atomic number 8 and symbol O. Its electron configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p4.
Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas at standard temperature and pressure. It makes up 21% of the air by volume. Oxygen is present in all known forms of life and is necessary for cellular respiration.
In its most common form, oxygen gas (O2), it is a diatomic molecule composed of two oxygen atoms held together by covalent bonds. This triplet state of oxygen is by far the most stable form.
What is the electron configuration of oxygen?
The electron configuration of oxygen is 1s2 2s2 2p4. The outermost energy level of oxygen contains six electrons in the 2p orbitals. The next inner energy level contains eight electrons, two in the 1s orbital and six in the 2s orbital.
Oxygen Electronic Configuration Tabular Form
| Atomic Number | 8 |
| Atomic Mass | 15.999 u |
| Symbol (Notation) | O |
| Electronic Configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p4. |
| Ground State Electronic Configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p4. |
| Excited State Electronic Configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p3 3s1. |
| Abbreviated Form | [He] 2s² 2p⁴ |
| Block category | p |
| Group | 16 |
| State | Gas |
| Allotropes | dioxygen,ozone(O3),tetraoxygen. |
Electron Configuration basics
One of the most important concepts in chemistry is electron configuration. Electron configuration refers to where electrons are located around the nucleus of an atom. The reason why electron configuration is so important is because it determines the chemical properties of atoms. In other words, electron configuration determines how atoms will interact with each other.
There are several rules that determine electron configuration. The first rule is the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill orbitals in order of increasing energy. The second rule is the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can occupy the same orbital. The third and final rule is Hund’s rule, which states that orbitals of equal energy are filled with one electron before they are filled with two electrons.
Now that we have reviewed the rules governing electron configuration, let’s apply them to oxygen. Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, which means it has 8 electrons. We will start by filling the lowest energy orbital, which is the 1s orbital. The 1s orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will put 2 electrons in this orbital. The next lowest energy orbital is the 2s orbital, so we will put 2 more electrons in this orbital. This leaves us with 4 more electrons to place.
The 3s and 3p orbitals are both next in terms of increasing energy. Since both orbitals have the same energy, we must follow Hund’s rule and fill them with one electron each
How do orbitals work?
In order to understand how orbitals work, it is necessary to first have a basic understanding of what an orbital is. An orbital is simply a region of space in which an electron may be found. The electrons in an atom are arranged into shells, each of which contains a certain number of orbitals. The first shell, for example, contains only one orbital, while the second shell contains four orbitals.
The electrons in an atom occupy these orbitals according to the principles of quantum mechanics. Essentially, each orbital can only hold a certain number of electrons. The first shell can hold up to two electrons, for example, while the second shell can hold up to eight electrons. The number of electrons that an orbital can hold is determined by its energy level.
Orbitals are not just empty spaces where electrons happen to be located. They actually have defined shapes that determine where the electron is most likely to be found. The shape of an orbital is determined by its angular momentum, which quantifies the amount of rotational motion that an object has.
The most common type of orbital is the s-orbital, which has a spherical shape. The p-orbital has a dumbbell shape, while the d-orbital has a more complex shape that resembles two opposing cones joined at their base. There are also orbitals with more complex shapes, but these are less common and will not be discussed here.
Electron Configurations for Oxygen’s Orbitals
The electron configuration of oxygen can be written as 1s2 2s2 2p4. This means that the oxygen atom has two electrons in its first orbital, four electrons in its second orbital, and four electrons in its third orbital. The 1s orbital is lowest in energy, followed by the 2s and 2p orbitals.
Oxygen is a member of the chalcogen group on the periodic table, which includes the elements oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and polonium. Oxygen is the most electronegative element in this group, meaning it has a strong tendency to attract electrons to itself. This gives oxygen atoms a net negative charge.
The electron configuration of oxygen explains why this element is so electronegative. The two electrons in the 1s orbital are tightly bound to the nucleus and are not easily lost. The 4 electrons in the 2p orbitals are also relatively tightly bound, but they are farther from the nucleus and are therefore more easily lost. This makes it difficult for oxygen atoms to form bonds with other atoms because they tend to strip away electrons from other atoms instead.
Conclusion
The electron configuration of oxygen is 1s2 2s2 2p4. This means that there are two electrons in the 1s orbital, two electrons in the 2s orbital, and four electrons in the 2p orbital. Oxygen is a gas at room temperature and has a boiling point of -183 degrees Celsius. It is found in nature as a diatomic molecule (O2) and is necessary for human life.